British Museum closed in job cut protest

British Museum staff have started strike action over plans to cut the
workforce by 15 per cent.

More than 750 of the museum’s 1,000 staff held a one-day strike last week,
causing it to close the venue for the day.

British Museum spokesman Andrew Hamilton said 150 jobs will be cut over the
next 18 months as part of a plan to meet budgets and save £6.5m. He said it is
hoped the cuts can be achieved through natural wastage, voluntary redundancies,
a slowdown in recruitment and by not filling vacancies. He added the cuts would
be made evenly across departments.

The Public and Commercial Services union blames the cuts on falling
government funding, which it claims has been reduced by 30 per cent over 10
years.

It believes reductions in staff and other cost cutting measures will cause
irreparable damage to the museum’s reputation as a centre of scholarship.

PCS national Officer Terry Adams said: "I am certain the visiting
public will wholeheartedly support PCS members fighting to secure their
livelihoods and the future of such an important cultural asset."